In the manufacture of metal articles by machining processes, such as cutting, drilling, milling and the like, the removed metal generally is in the form of chips of varying lengths and sizes. These scrap chips commonly are twisted or curly and usually include numerous cracks or fissures. Conventional machining processes usually utilize coolant liquids, oils and the like. Also, chips frequently become dirty after removal from the machined articles. Thus, recycling the chips, by melting them into molten metal for reuse, creates problems due to their oil, moisture or dirt contents.
In the case of foundries, such as aluminum or ferrous metal casting foundries, where machine shops are associated with a foundry for machining and finishing the cast articles, it is possible to reuse chips by melting them in the foundry furnaces. But, where the chips contain oil, moisture or other liquids or dirt, furnace and other problems are created by using such chips.
Thus, it would be desirable to have available, in a machine shop or other location where substantial quantities of scrap chips are available, a means for cleaning and drying the chips so that they may be either compacted, such as into briquetting, for later use as melt stock for charging a furnace, or for direct use as loose chips forming a melt stock. Since the typical chips are variable in size, shape, configuration, and particularly, contain numerous cracks or fissures, it is very difficult to remove oil or other liquids from these, frequently minute, openings in the chips. Thus, it would be desirable to have a washing and drying system which is able to inexpensively wash and dry any metallic chips, regardless of their sizes, shapes, configurations or the like, and particularly clean the cracks and fissures normally found within the chips. This invention relates to a system including an apparatus and a method, for washing and drying loose scrap chips.